TELEGRAMS

Star (Christchurch), Issue 1891, 25 March 1874, Page 2

TELEGRAMS

[Pbe Angho-Attstealian Pbess Telegraph AGENCY.] Auckland, March 24. The Hero has sailed for Sydney with 62 passengers. Gbahamstowk, March 24. The share market is improving. Old Whau's are rising in consequence of a large yield ; a dividend is expected of fifty shillings per share. The municipal elections come off tomorrow. Napieb, March 24. First All-comers' match, 200 yards, seven shots j first prize, £18 los — D. Buchanan, Otago, 26 points ; second, £10 7s 6d — Wilson, Port Chalmers, 26 : third, £8 7s 6d, Somerville, Wanganui, 26 ; fourth, £3 2s — Renouf, Napier, 26 ; fifth, £2 2s 6d— Payne, Auckland, sixth, £I—Buchanan,1 — Buchanan, Otago, 24. In firing off the ties D.Buchanan made three bullaeyes ; Wilson, two bullseyes and centre; Payne, an outer,- Eenouf and Sorner* i!le, bullseye and centre. There were 85 entries in this match, which lasted all morning. Two of the top scores were made by Renouf and Somerville with medium Enfields ; the other prize takers using small bore rifles. Second All-comer's Match, 500, 600 yards, seven shots ; first prize, £8, and one-half entrance fees — Fenton, Thames, 51 points ; second, £5, and one-fourth entrance — Wilson, Port Chalmers, 50 j third, £S, and one-fourth entrance— Armstrong, Thames, 49 ; fourth, £2— J. Buchanan, Otago, 48; fifth, £1— Mackenzie, Otago, 47; seventh — Keys, A.C., 47 ; eighth, £I—D.1 — D. Buchanan, Otago, 46. Creagh, Porrin, Grundy, and Payne were all ties, 45 each, for the last three prizes, and will fire off in the morning, it being too late when the match was finished. Wellington, March 24. Sir Francis Dillon Bell, M.H.R. for the Mataura district, addressed a large meeting of his constituents last night, and was favo rably received. He congratulated the colony on the present absence of party feeling, and referred to the danger of the opposite extreme of political apathy, which might possibly lead the country into difficulties. Mr Yogel, in his budget speech, had wisely urged caution amidst prosperity. Ho deplored the absence of an organised Opposition last session, defended the new ad valorem duties, aud showed that the incidence of taxation was much more fairly apportioned under them than the meaeurement system. The goods consumed by the wealthy classes paid by far the larger share, and a large increase of revenue was secured without pressing unduly on the mass of the people. He condemned the Provincial Borrowing Bill of last session. He said that the Government proposals led to more logrolling than ever. There should be no further borrowing either by the provinces or the colony until the works now authorised were completed. Ho intended to uae every influence next session to prevent the Provincial Borrowing Bills being carried. The Bystem of paying interest out of capital would soon have to stop, and the colony would have to face the annual expenditure of £700,000 for interest when the railways were finished, but its resources would be equal to this strain, as no population on the face of the earth sent away so much produce per head as New Zealand. The revenue was increasing at an extraordinary rate, Mr Yogel estimated it this year at £1,180,000, but for the first six months £661,000 had been received. The immigration schome should be in the hands of tho General, not the Provincial Governments, as the interests of the colony and of the several provinces were partially antagonistic. There was nothing so important as the conservation of agricultural land for settlement. He intended to take up these two subjects, namely, that immigration be conducted at first hand ; and secondly, that the General Government should reserve agricultural land in blocks, for sale in England, to attract a proper class of immigrants. After answering questions, the following motion was carried without opposition : " That this meeting thanks Sir Francis Dillon Bell for his able address', and 2Jasses a vote of unabated confidence in him as the representative of tbe District of Mataura in tho General Assembly." In tho Supreme Court, in Banco, the ease — the Attorney-General v. Bunny — motion was made for an injunction to restrain Mr Bunny from expending any further sums under the warrant signed by Mr Dorsett, the Provincial Auditor, on the ground that that warrant was illegal, because the funds were not legally available. The Government stated that they were willing only to undertake to pay for contracts entered into before the disallowance of the Act j but the Attor-ney-General maintained, and >he judge held, that the contracts were not absolutely completed before the disallowance of tho Act, and could not be paid for under the Act, and on that ground the injunction was granted. Mr Travers argued for a mandamus on behalf of of the Provincial Government at two o'clock, but there is no chance of any compromise between tho parties now. Mr Travers, after injunction being granted, applied for a rule nisi for a mandamus to compel the Provincial Auditors to act as required by the Audit Act. The Judge said the whole question seemed to be narrowed down as to the validity of former auditors' warrants, and, as at present advised, he considered the warrant inoperative by the disallowance of the Appropriation Act. Tbo mandamus was not resisted. It was shown that tho Provincial Government had more than a sufficient balance at the Bank to cover all pledged expenditure. Tho auditor has since been certifying warrants. Hokitika, March 24. In the Supreme Court, in the case Regina v. James and John Hayes, for conspiracy to defraud, the jury were locked up all last night, and as they could not agree thiß morning a freßh trial was commenced. Timabtt, March 24. Arrived — March 23, Beautiful Star, from Ly ttelton and Akaroa j sailed for Dunedin in the evening.